The alliance between Tesla and Toyota was established in 2010 to “to cooperate on the development of electric vehicles, parts, and production system and engineering support.” Already at the beginning of the partnership Toyota seems very well aware of the cultural differences that the two organizations have. As Toyota President Akio Toyoda says in the press release “Toyota would like to learn from the challenging spirit, quick decision-making, and flexibility that Tesla has.” This shows an understanding of a different culture and the desire to learn from it.
This YouTube video was posted two years after the start of the partnership and shows again a clear understanding of the differences in company culture. The responses from the Toyota engineers show a high respect for the Tesla engineers and their way of working. It is a clear foundation for the success of partnerships!
[…] The Tesla – Toyota partnership […]